Solutions celebrates problem solvers for kitchen and household

Laatst bijgewerkt op: 05 - 02 - 2016

How can you create products whose primary relevance is not derived from their design, but from providing solutions to real problems? Many designers of kitchen and household utensils ask themselves this very question and their answers are showcased in the ‘Solutions’ special show which is being held for the fifth time as part of the Ambiente trade fair. Sebastian Bergne had the job of selecting the products, “Each is designed around its central function,” explains the curator and producer of this ‘Solutions’ special show. “These household utensils are focused on the user and their form, material, colour and overall appearance is developed around this focus. This approach has produced wonderfully exciting designs,” continues the industrial designer, who is based in London. Bergne was advised in his task by Kate Birch, editor of Tableware International and Claus Tormöhlen, category manager for household goods for the Galeria Kaufhof department store.

For example Kago – oval – L is the name of a rosette-shaped metal structure that Bergne has selected from the products sent in. It has an extremely wide field of application. Manufactured by the Japanese company Nousaku, the item is made of 100% pure tin and is easy to shape and re-shape. Light specific pressure is all it takes to transform it from a fruit basket to a wine stand, for example. In the ‘Knife’ from Franz Güde the user’s hand seems to mould with the body of the blade. It results in a super-safe knife with a precise cut. There are some products in ‘Solutions’ which have been chosen especially because they use familiar materials in a new context. A stainless steel mesh shaped to look like a butcher’s glove is one such example. It is used to clean pots and pans and its mono soft-mesh easily removes burnt on and dried food residues. It is so gentle on the material that it cannot even do damage to another of ‘Solutions’ innovative products, the Olivilla Frying Pan from Illa that has a non-stick, olive-oil based surface coating. There is also a place in the ranks of ‘Solutions’ products for space-saving gadgets. It takes just three quick hand movements to transform Philippi's Alegro glasses case from an extremely flat body into a robust triangular structure.